Recently, one of my cooler tumblr mutuals introduced me to something I didn't know my life was missing -- the Human Domestication Guide.
It's a story (although in actuality it's much more than that - but I'm getting there) about a plant-based alien society, advanced far beyond human comprehension, who take a liking to earthlings and other aliens, kidnapping them and drugging them into complacency as their pets.
The original story, written by a user called GlitchyRobo, focuses on the willful human Elvira. She served on a human ship destroyed by the aliens, the Affini, for the purposes of capturing the people aboard. Elvira is put in the care of an Affini named Akash, who begins to peel away the layers of Elvira's humanity with the goal of leaving her an obedient pet.
There are absolutely flaws. This is primarily a sexual-fulfillment fantasy, so characters will act in ways that aren't entirely rational, but in ways that will lead to the most titillating outcome. Akash speaks like a porno mommy-dom. Some of the dialogue is stilted and awkward, and there are minor formatting errors that remind you of the underground nature of this work.
All that said - this is one of the most special pieces of fiction I've read in a very long time. The overall concept is incredible from multiple avenues -- a commentary on capitalism and climate change, on identity and humanity, on sentience and animal rights, on high-concept horniness.
It's special in the way that it prioritizes trans women, with so much love. The author tagged this on AO3 with: "All my characters are trans and autistic unless otherwise specified (Including the affini!)". And trans women do seem to love it. I've noticed a lot of trans people, across the gender spectrum, engage in "petplay" (something which I really don't see the appeal of). I'm not entirely sure why some trans people like to pretend to be dogs and cats in sexual scenarios, but the aspect of petplay that appears in HDG is the more comforting kind - someone who will feed you, clean up after you, take care of you when you're sick. I do feel like trans people yearn for the unconditional love that dogs receive. How many people claim to love dogs more than humans? What must it be like to be loved so strongly, even your messes are endearing? That's the appeal, I think, that petplay and HDG share.
Another way this work is special, is the way people have chosen to engage with it. It's grown beyond GlitchyRobo's original few chapters (as of writing this, there are only eight chapters of the original work up, and the story is so far unfinished) and readers have been encouraged to collaborate in building the world of the Affini by contributing their own stories. There are fanworks, as well as an expanded canon chosen by a group of authors who began building off of the original work. It's gotten to the point that there's now a Human Domestication Guide Wiki.
When I finished the eighth chapter today, I felt so invigorated. I don't read a lot of fanfiction (I honestly skip over any that contain too many errors because it's just too distracting. Which rules out a lot of fanfic.) so reading something so simultaneously original, proudly queer, and very horny? It made me eager to jump into the universe and add my own story to the growing body of works.
However, one of the things that makes this so special is the author's dedication to trans women, specifically trans lesbians. And it's been a trend (online, at least - all of my transfem friends are online. All of my transmasc friends are online, too. All of my friends are online, because I am a lonely, lonely man.) for trans men to elbow our way into conversations and spaces specifically made by trans women to get away from us and take over. So I will be refraining from writing anything about the Affini, but I may write some kinky alien erotica in the future. When I do, I'll absolutely be crediting the Human Domestication Guide as an influence and inspiration.
Further Reading
The Human Domestication Guide Wiki
The original story by GlitchyRobo, on AO3